Justice News

Pasquotank County Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 25 Years

RALEIGH - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina announced that in federal court today, United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced DAVON KELLY BENNETT, 42 years of age from Elizabeth City, N.C., to 240 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, 100 grams or more of heroin and marijuana; possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, 100 grams or more of heroin and marijuana; and money laundering by concealment. Judge Boyle also sentenced BENNETT to 60 months for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime to run consecutively to the 240-month sentence, for a total sentence of 300 months. BENNETT will be on supervised release for 5 years upon his release from the Bureau of Prisons. Additionally, Judge Boyle entered an order forfeiting BENNETT’S residence, several motor vehicles and firearms, as well as directing that a money judgment be entered against BENNETT in the amount of $1,000,000 representing the gross proceeds of his drug trafficking. A jury in Elizabeth City, N.C. convicted BENNETT of the charges on October 20, 2016.

On March 4, 2015, detectives with the Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office and other agencies executed a search warrant at BENNETT’S residence located at 1300 Brothers Lane, Elizabeth City, N.C. During the search, $81,047 was seized from BENNETT’S washing machine. Detectives found more than $10,000 in U.S. currency, three firearms, and titles to multiple motor vehicles registered in the names of nominee owners in BENNETT’S bedroom. Detectives located 92 grams of marijuana, a vacuum sealer, two sets of digital scales and two money counters in the house, and approximately 180 grams of marijuana in a shed on the property. Motor vehicles parked at the residence, including a Honda Odyssey, were searched the following day. Detectives recovered 3 kilograms of cocaine, 789 grams of heroin, $60,100 and a stolen .38 caliber revolver from a hidden compartment in the floor board of the Honda Odyssey.

Evidence presented at trial established that BENNETT had conspired to traffic narcotics, including over 45 kilograms of cocaine, since 2000 and had paid associates to register motor vehicles in their names to conceal his drug proceeds. BENNETT and his associates had been subjects of Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Operation Dare Devil, a long-term investigation conducted by several federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, the Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office, the Dare County Sheriff’s Office, the Greenville Regional Drug Task Force, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement, the Nags Head Police Department, the Kill Devil Hills Police Department, the Kitty Hawk Police Department, the Elizabeth City Police Department, and North Carolina Wildlife Enforcement.

The federal prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Brad Knott and Special Assistant United States Attorney Glenn Perry. Mr. Perry is a prosecutor with the Pitt County District Attorney’s Office. Pitt County District Attorney Kimberly Robb has assigned Mr. Perry to the United States Attorney’s Office, pursuant to funding provided by the North Carolina Conference of District Attorneys, to prosecute federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force criminal matters.